The Naked City
The Naked City is a Vice case in L.A. Noire. It is a pre-order bonus courtesy of EB Games/GameStop. Also available without pre-order from GAME UK, Complete Edition for PC and the normal game. Plot Julia Randall, a stunning fashion model with the world at her feet, is found dead floating in her own bathtub. To the Homicide squad it looks like a textbook society-type's suicide - just another glamorous life ended early by the victim's own hand - but coroner Malcolm "Mal" Carruthers remains unconvinced. It falls to detectives Cole Phelps and Roy Earle to investigate the scene and determine which of Miss Randall's vices really killed her. Achievements and Trophies *Eight Million Stories *A Good-Looking Corpse *Fakeloo *Chauffeur Service *Give My Regards Walkthrough The Briefing *When you start, you're presented with a cutscene which shows Lt. Colmyer ordering Cole Phelps and Roy Earle to go to 5810 Mirada Avenue at Homicide's request. Lt. Colmyer says Dr. Carruthers believes the victim was killed by the army morphine and then cuts short Det. Earle from saying anything about it, telling the two detectives to just get over there. During the drive to the crime scene, Roy will say that they collected all the morphine and if some is missing it's not a big deal. He also mentions that with the deals going on at that moment, the city is undergoing major changes, whilst Vice is chasing false trails in his own opinion, in following the army-issue morphine trail, which, he opines, ought to be considered all wrapped up, case closed. When Cole tries mentioning the victim, pointing out that Roy's 'closed case' continues to turn up fresh victims, Roy backlashes telling him to visit the morgue at the end of the month when all the John and Jane Does are cremated, victims who he considers simply as percentages, statistical data, rather than persons. Evidently, Roy is a jaded, cynical, and not in an insignificant measure corrupt 'flatfoot,' as well as an all-round 'swell guy' using contemporary jargon and sarcasm (of which there are quite a few throughout the game, frequently uttered by NPCs as stock phrases). Julia Randall's Apartment *When you arrive at the crime scene, a cigarette-smoking police officer in front of the apartment building's main entrance will inform you that the crime scene is on the 2nd floor, Apartment 6 (unlike the usual mail boxes at the front door of the buildings thus far visited, these do not display the occupant's name, no clue to be examined, hence the patrolman stationed there and telling you). Make sure to grab the morphine syrette evidence from the trash can next to the decorative potted plant along the left wall of the interior hallway leading to the stairs before climbing said stairs, as this is 1/3 needed for the Achievement/Trophy, A Good Looking Corpse. Then head upstairs and towards the open door at the end of the second floor hallway. When you get near the door, a cutscene will be triggered, in which you will meet up with your ex-partners, detectives Rusty Galloway and Stefan Bekowsky (who has been promoted to Homicide). *In the living room, check the 3 framed photos displayed on top of the drawer cabinet. The middle photo will yield the 'Modelling Job' clue. Further examine the middle frame to get the address of the D'Assine Dress Shop from the hand-written note on the back of the photograph. *Go into the''' bedroom and examine the smoking jacket, and the pills on the floor. Then check the right bedside cabinet for the pill box. Inside will be barbiturates, but further examination reveals a hidden compartment with a vial of Benzedrine bearing the prescription details, including the prescribing physician's name. This is the second of the three-part requirement towards gaining the Achievement/Trophy 'A Good-Looking Corpse.' *Go into the bathroom to trigger an exchange with police coroner Carruthers in which he will present his thoughts, including an explanation of the effects of drowning in the bath tub and why this isn't what happened, despite an attempt to make it seem so. Check the body and Phelps will make note of the bite marks on the right arm, the ring on the left hand, and the strangulation marks on the victim's neck. *Go backinto the living room and chat with Virgina Reynoldson, the victim's housekeeper. Interview Virginia Reynoldson *When you're done in the apartment, descend the stairs to the main floor, where you will want to inspect the garbage can to your right near the plant, if you haven't done so on your way in (you will the find the syrette of morphine the coroner was looking for, as mentioned earlier, as well as earn the 'A Good-Looking Corpse' Achievement/Trophy). D'Assine Dress Store *Drive to D'Assine Dress Store and along the way Roy will be cracking wise and start talking about Cole's former partners. When you arrive, enter the shop and turn left - you will see a woman sitting at a desk. Talk to her. Interview Dress Store Owner *Once you're done talking with her, she will offer to fetch her current employee and Julia's friend, Heather Swanson, but not before Cole asks her to withhold from Heather the information about er friend Julia's death for now. She accepts, and when she returns with Heather, you proceed to have a chat with her. She informs Cole that she got the job at D'Assine thanks to Julia. Phelps notices Heather's engagement ring and asks to examine it. While examining, Phelps states that it must have been very expensive. When you're done return the ring and interview her. Interview Heather Swanson *Once the interview is over, Cole asks Heather to have her fiance stop by the station, which she firmly refuses until she is told what all this is about. Cole then finally tells her that her friend Julia was found dead that morning resulting in Heather having an emotional moment. Roy later comments on Cole not informing Heather, calling it slick. Cole defends his reasoning by saying that they would receive more useful information from her that way. Roy then replies, "You're learning Phelps, we'll make a Vice cop out of you yet." Doctor Stoneman's Practice *Once this is over, head over to the car and drive (or have your partner drive) to Dr. Stoneman's Practice. When you arrive at the building go to the right and you'll see a sign showing that the good doctor's office is on the 5th floor. Having obtained the floor number, proceed to the elevator at the end of he hall. On the fifth floor, exit the elevator and walk straight to the opposite end of the hall; #505 is the lone door at the very end, facing the elevator doors. Enter and talk to the doctor's receptionist. (As soon as you're told to enter, a man exits the doc's office sarcastically commenting that Cole and Roy's business is clearly more important than the pain he's in and the treatment he requires for his sciatica.) Inside the office proceed to interview Dr. Stoneman. Interview Doctor Stoneman *Whith the interview done, leave the doctor's office and use the receptionist's telephone (or, if you've already left the building, find a gamewell nearby, out on te street). You will be informed to return to the Hollywood Receiving Hospital and Morgue (across te parking and next to the offices occupied by Vice). The Morgue ''(Location listed as '''Hollywood Receiving Hospital in your notebook.)'' *When you arrive, Carruthers will show you another body, that of a certain Jimmy Leblanc, who evidently had some rough reconstructive work done to his face with a piece of 2x4. He will then ask you to look at an item that was found in one of the pockets of the new victim's clothing. After you have examined the item, Carruthers will receive a call requesting that proceed to the main building in order to question Henry Arnett, who is waiting next door in Interview Room 2. Hollywood Police Station *Exit the coroner's building and walk across the parking lot into the Police Station, then step into Interview Room 2. Interview with Henry Arnett Tailing Arnett *After the interview',' leave the station and tail Arnett. He leads you around for a while before stopping at a second hand shop to get some money. After he comes out, Earle goes into the shop while you tail Arnett on foot. Keep your distance, and he will lead you to a travel shop called Ao-Kuewa Travel Co. There's a brief cutscene before you meet up with Earle again. If you are not spotted, then you get the Fakeloo Achievement/Trophy. Be very careful here; If you are spotted either in your car or on foot you will have to quit out of the game and then reload the case in order to attempt the trophy again. Simply restarting the tailing scenes from the police station where the game resets you will not award you the trophy even if you aren't spotted the second time. If you do have to back out and reload you will have to go through the interview with Arnett again. **One way to speed up this section is to run up the opposite side of the street to Arnett (the side you started on), cross the road and go incognito at the shoe shine. Make sure you keep Henry in sight and within an acceptable distance. Sit tight until he passes you and turns a corner at a blue building. Leave the shoe shine and follow him, straight to Ao-Kuewa Travel Co. (Note: Use caution, it is possible to run too far ahead of Arnett resulting in a fail due to Arnett evading you using this method, this will prevent you from getting the trophy and you will have to reload the case in order to attempt it again) *Either find a phone, or get back in the car, and you will get two messages. The first is to say that your old partners have information relating to the case and to return to the station. As soon as that message is finished, you receive another one stating that the last arresting officer for Leblanc was Patrolman Fred Wallis who is currently working his beat on Sunset Boulevard between Gordon and Wilcox. Go to Sunset Boulevard. Investigating Sunset Boulevard (Location listed as '''Hollywood Ninth Beat' in your notebook.)'' *When you arrive at the beat, you find Wallis chasing down two criminals which you help give chase to which results in a firefight. After the gunfight, Wallis tells you that Leblanc had a partner previously called Willy who is possibly a Strongman. Hollywood Police Station *Head back to the police station to find out what Bekowsky and Galloway have for you which results in a cutscene that shows Galloway getting riled with Phelps attempting to give orders. Phelps then asks to see the contraband list, and Earle asks if the cigarette case is on it. Tap the Cigarette Case, Black Sapphire ring, Pearl ring and Pill Box. Tapping on all four will give you the clue 'Contraband list' which you will need later for an interview. 'Note: '''If you go to the Police Station before talking to Patrolman Wallis you will miss out on the cut-scene with Bekowsky and Galloway, as well as a conversation with Earle. It will not affect your case rating though. Evestrom Residence *Head to Evestrom Residence to see Mrs. Evestrom about her burglary. When you are let in, Mrs. Evestrom offers you drinks before you sit down to ask her some questions. Interview Mrs. Evestrom *After the questioning a surprise visitor turns up. *As a result Phelps, Earle and Heather Swanson head over to Arnett's apartment. As long as you get there without damaging the vehicle, you will get the Chauffeur Service Achievement/Trophy. If you hit a car or cause any damage then quit the game and reload BEFORE you arrive at Arnett's apartment or you will have to redo the entire case to get this achievement. An easy way to accomplish this achievment is to turn the siren on, and leave it on for the entire journey. Cars get out of your way and since it's such a long haul, every little bit helps. Arnett's Apartment *When you arrive speak to the guy at the desk, he will tell you to take the elevator. *When you get to the apartment, there is a crash that results in a chase across the roof before Phelps is knocked out. After the cutscene, when you regain control, search the apartment. **Look in the suitcase beside the couch. The clues to be found inside are the watch and the train ticket. *Then sit down and question Arnett. Interview Henry Arnett *Arnett is taken into custody and he gives up the identity of 'Mr Henderson'. Doctor Stoneman's Practice *The next stop is where 'Mr. Henderson' (Harold Stoneman) works. He admits his guilt in a cutscene where he escapes from his insanity and throws himself out of an open window, prompting Roy to say "Didn't see that coming" and "That old boy really ''fell for that broad". Use the phone on the desk and receive a message that Bekowsky has the address of Willy and he will meet you there. When you approach the car on which 'the good doctor' (as Roy sarcastically refers to him) landed, Roy, in his usual way remarks, "Thank God I didn't park there." Willy's Apartment *When you arrive, Bekowsky and Galloway go left while Phelps and Earle go right. Follow the sound of the harmonica until Willy does a runner, then quickly climb up the drainpipe behind him. When you get to the roof, vault the wall then climb the ladder. Run along the gantry in front of the billboard and go through the window. Go up the stairs and onto the roof. Climb another drainpipe at which point Earle will join you. Willy is climbing the BROADWAY sign. Before you shoot at him, shoot all of the letters off of the frame to get the Give My Regards Achievement/Trophy . Shoot Willy which brings up the closing cutscene and the Eight Million Stories Achievement/Trophy Case Notes "Julia Randall lived fast and died young, sending one man to jail and three to the morgue" Trivia *The case itself, both in name and plot, is based off the 1948 film "The Naked City". This movie was directed by Jules Dassin - this is referenced in the game (in this same case) in the name of the dess shop where both the primary victim and her friend worked, namely "D'Assine." Key differences between the two cases (that of the movie and that of the game) include location (the game takes place in Los Angeles while the film takes place in New York City), narrative (the story in the game is told in a straightforward manner through Phelps' perspective while the film is as much an examination of life in New York City as it is about the murder investigation), and the timeframe (the story told in the game takes place over the course of one day and night while the film's story unfolds through several days and nights). **Phelps is similar to one of the detectives in the film, Jimmy Halloran. They are both family men who served in World War II and have not been detectives for very long (Halloran has been a homicide detective for only three months at the time the events take place). **In the game, Phelps and Earle, who are ad vice detectives, are called in to help work the case because the victim was drugged with Army surplus morphine. In the film, the case is worked exclusively by the homicide detectives and the victim was drugged with chloroform. *Harold Stoneman is referenced in the case "The Fallen Idol". When examining the bottle of Chloral Hydrate pills on Marlon Hopgood's casting set (the name of the physician who prescribed those pills is also "Dr. Stoneman". *On the way to the D'Assine Dress Store, as Cole and Roy are discussing how quickly Cole was promoted, Roy mentions that Cole is what he needed because he is a terrier, and not "some old bulldog who can't get up a flight of stairs without coughing up his lunch." This is most likely a nod to an episode of Mad Men, which many of L.A. Noire's actors co-star in, although it could be coincidence. In this episode, Roger Sterling throws up the lunch he just ate with Don after taking the stairs due to the elevator requiring repairs. *Much like during the cases titled "Manifest Destiny" and "A Different Kind of War," you end up working with your former partners in this one. * Out of all the cases in L.A. Noire, this case, arguably, takes the longest to complete. *As a slight curiosity (and one of the many details and glitches the developers missed for one reason or another), if you examine the car on which the good doctor landed following his lovelorn Icarian final flight (do this by turning right when exiting the lift on the bottom floor, leaving the building through the side door towards the parking adjacent to the building and turning to the right once outside - you'll see easily the good doc sprawled atop the vehicle stationed under his office window, especially since a small crowd of gawkers has predictably gathered and surrounds the scene), you will notice, looking in the open engine bay left exposed by te upward-buckled bonnet following the impact, that there is no engine. The clutch, exhaust, radiator and fan, however, are still in place, funnily enough. *The purple dress that Elsa Lichtmann wears when performing in the Blue Room Jazz Club can be seen displayed outside the D'Assine dress store when you go there. *Henry Arnett claims that the Vacheron Constantin watch is a graduation gift from his parents, yet you know the same watch is on the stolen contraband list of valuables if you paid close enough attention to the full list at the reception desk of the police station (shown to you by the officer on duty when you requested it while hunting for the four known items - the two rings, the cigarette case, and the pill box - the game requires you to identify in order to obtain the 'contraband list' entry under 'clues' in your notebook). *When first entering the building Dr Stoneman's Practice is housed in, the name Miles Archer is listed among the residents, on the second floor (on the listing opposite the listing showing Dr Stoneman's office, on the left side while facing the elevator doors ahead - left plaque lists the 1st and 2nd storey residents, while the one on the right side list the occupants of the 3rd, 4th, and 5th floor). This pays homage to The Maltese Falcon, the film (and the novel upon which it is based) that kicked off the film noir genre or at the very least deserves the credit of being one of its most important, representative, and memorable examples. Miles Archer, partner of protagonist Sam Spade, was shot dead at the beginning of that story. *Also among the building's occupants is 'O'Shaughnessy & Wonderly Barristers'. In that same movie (The Maltese Falcon mentioned above), O'Shaughnessy and Wonderly happen to be the names of the character portrayed by lead actress Mary Astor and the name of her alibi, respectively. *Should you attempt to move the car away from under the open window of the doc's office (on which he is slated to land), before entering Dr.Stoneman's Practice, the car will re-appear in its intended place under the open window when Stoneman jumps out of it. *In another missed detail by the devs, when interrogating Arnett, Cole asks if he will testify that Reade and Leblanc did the burglaries - only, Phelps does not learn and terefore cannot know Willy's last name (Reade) until later, when he recieves the message from Bekowsky, following Dr. Stoneman's suicidal leap. *At the end of the case, when you are chasing Reade, if you manage to kill him before he reaches the roof, the final cutscene will show them on the roof, with Phelps pointing at the Broadway sign. *As yet another minor detail: when you question Dr. Henderson during your first visit to his office, the phone on his desk is on the front side of the desk, towards the guest's chair; upon your return, it is on the other side of the desk, closest to his own chair (Showing perhaps only the good doctor's proclivity for being restless or agitated while talking on the phone, and that he gets up from his desk and moves around his office and his desk, grabbing the phone and moving it about - much like many of us in what may or may not be similarly stressful circumstances, even without those circustances being so extreme as to eventually lead to such a deadly 'leap of faith' - meant a touch too literally - as his) Gallery Julie Dexter?.jpg Lanoire-thenakedcity.jpg Category:Cases Category:L.A. Noire Category:Vice